My dog definitely understands nouns and to a lesser extent verbs. If I say where is the ball/bone/mouse/pigeon/Suzie (the cat), the cows, etc. he will look at the right object (and fetch his ball or bone or chase the field mouse, but not the cat or the cows as he has learned that this is not OK). He also understands ‘we’re going for a walk’ and starts jumping around excitedly.
I think the difference between animal communication and human language is mostly analogue, not digital (except when we communicate abstract ideas like time, science, philosophy, etc.). By no means am I an expert, but I did dabble in biology last century…
Reply